The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-09
EMOTIONS IN IOWA.
Confirmation of the Reported Cruelties Prac-
ticed by an English Land Company.

Dies MONIES, Ia, Oct. 3-The brief Associated
Press telegram from Washington. reciting SUM-
dry cruel evictions in Northwestern Iowa, has
been more than doubted hero in all quarters.
One of the most reliable citizens of OBrien
county asked last night to the truthful
ness of the dispatch. and instantly Endorsed it.
In regard to the English Land Company, which
is said to be turning American citizens out of
their homes he said: ''It certainly is true.
They are an old firm reorganized into the Yves
tern Land Company. They bought from the
old McGregor Western. or it's assignees, the
Milwaukee aud the Sioux City companies, some
lands granted to the McGreeor Western in 1864,
but never earned, for the road was never built.
When Teller was Secretary of the Interior, he
and the Land Commissioner both declared tho
lands uuearned, and promised to open them for
settlement. On the faith of these declarations
and promises, some settlers went on these lands
and built their homes. The English syndicate
now has the railroad title and proposes to keep
possession.
How many families have they evicted2"
'sAt least 100 Before they get through tho
number will be increased to 140."
You say You know some OF the families.
Were any of those you know subjected to undue
severity in their evlctions2"
Eyes, the Finch family locked their doors
against the intruders. but the doors ana windows
were broken in, and they were carried out and
compelled TO Sp0nU tOo night on the puDllc ROAD.
In the case of Nels Nelson the same thing hap
pened; and he was SO terrorlZed by a troop of
armed men and by levies on his live stock and
furniture, that he succumbed and signed the
company's lease. Others have been terrorized
into doing the thing In one case with
which l am perfectly familiar the mother-in-law
of the family was sick abed She was carried
out into a hard rain and compelled to spend the
night there. and in the morning seek such shelter
as the family could lind for her. These are
very few OF the cases know, but they will do
for a sample of about one hundred that occurred
and half as many more that are threatened"
DIR. FL. NJ. Hamlin, OF Sioux City, whose name
was mentioned in a recent dispatch from w ash
ington regarding the alleged eviction of settlers
on land in OBrien county claimed by Eng
lish syndicate by virtue of purchase from the old
McGregor & Western railroad, was in the city
to-day, and in interview reiterates his state
ment that hardship had been wrought and force
used in several instances where settlers refused
to depart from the land they had secured by
right of settlement Accompanying the doctor
was farmer named Finch. who says that two
weeks ago a sheriffs posse of fifteen men evicted
him by force from his home whore he had lived
for years. He also says, that local papers have
M ade no mention of the facts because they were
subsidized by English capitalists He says
there are number of instances where force has
been used and the settlers propose to carry tho
matter into the courts and maintain their rights
if Dossiblo,